So icy that we walked on the grass links the degree of ice to its consequence. The result can be helpful or inconvenient.

The idea

Use so + adjective/adverb + that-clause. Use such + noun phrase + that-clause, including a/an with a singular countable noun. For quantities, use so many + plural noun and so much + uncountable noun.

Examples

  • The path was so icy that we walked on the grass.
  • It was such a tight knot that I couldn't undo it.
  • There were so many bicycles that we couldn't find ours.
  • The drill made so much noise that we paused the call.
  • Nora speaks so clearly that everyone can follow her directions.
  • They were such light boxes that we carried three at a time.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Do not use such a before a plural noun: such light boxes. So does not itself mean excessive or impossible, unlike too in many contexts. That can often be omitted without changing the result relationship.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. It was ___ tight knot that I couldn't undo it. (such a / so)

    Show answer or example answer

    such a

    Singular countable knot needs the noun-phrase pattern such a tight knot.

  2. Choose the correct option. The drill made ___ noise that we paused the call. (so much / so many)

    Show answer or example answer

    so much

    Noise is uncountable in this meaning, so the quantity phrase is so much noise.

  3. Choose the correct option. Nora speaks ___ clearly that everyone can follow her directions. (so / such)

    Show answer or example answer

    so

    Clearly is an adverb. The degree pattern is so clearly that, not such clearly that.

Use it today

Describe one obstacle and one helpful feature using a result clause. Use so in one sentence and such in the other, checking whether a noun follows.